Ciaron Brown knows he will have to battle to win a place in the Livingston defence but the new loan signing has had to fight for everything in a career that has taken him from non league to Premier League Cardiff.

The 21-year-old defender started his career with lowly Bedfont Sports before moving to National League South side Wealdstone in 2016, before he was handed a major move to Cardiff a year ago.

Brown has a tough task getting into a Livingston defence which has shipped 20 goals in 22 Ladbrokes Premiership games – fewer than any team outside Celtic or Rangers. But he is relishing the prospect.

"I've had to fight to get to the place where I am now, and I think they have done their homework on me," he said.

"I was out training with them in Portugal and they can see what they are bringing in.

"I feel at home, the way they play here, I feel I am suited to the team.

"They have been playing very well so I don't expect to walk into the team. It's going to be a challenge, but I like a challenge and I am going to have to fight for a place."

Brown feels he has made major strides in the Cardiff Under-23s and is ready to show that on a bigger stage with Rangers visiting Livingston on Sunday.

"At the beginning the step up might have been a bit challenging but I have gone forward and got used to things and I have improved massively," he said.

"Now I am here in a big league and I am just trying to show what I can do."

Brown was training with Livingston over the winter break and has focused on his new role while his parent club endure a hugely difficult period after the plane carrying record signing Emiliano Sala went missing over the English Channel.

"I have just been trying to get along with things here because not many of us know what's going on so it's hard to say anything about it," Brown said.